December 15, 2010

I am a handbag gal. In 2005 B.C. (before child) I started getting into purses a lot more. I had always liked having an assortment of bags but I was starting to want nice bags. It was the one thing I was materialistic about; I would wear jeans from Target and tops from the Old Navy clearance rack, but pair them with a Marc Jacobs bag and I was happy as a clam. (Are clams happy?)

Since having G, my priorities have shifted a bit. So have my finances. Unfortunately, I’ve had to sell off a lot of my handbag collection, only keeping one favorite and a few of my more practical bags. In fact, I carry my cheapo Envirosax Slingsax quite frequently (it’s lightweight and so convenient, but that’s a review for another day).

Anyhow, I have a very nice Coach diaper bag that doesn’t get a whole lot of love. I’m just not finding it to be all that practical. It’s bulky and heavy if I’m just running errands or going to lunch or something. Unless we’re going to go somewhere for the whole day, I prefer to leave it home.

I also have a bit of “bag ADD” in that I like to change up what I carry a LOT. What feels good one day doesn’t the next; I’ve never been one to stick to one purse for any length of time. But it’s a royal pain in the butt to change things up so frequently when you have to worry about leaving necessary baby items at home. It’s no longer just MY stuff I have to swap in and out.

Enter the Pishposh Mommy Carryall. I’ve had it for about a month now and it’s one of my favorite baby-related products. I wish I’d gotten it much, much sooner. There’s a zipper version (what I have) as well as a drawstring version. I went with the “Pacifica” print but I also really like “Townsend” (unfortunately it was on backorder when I ordered).

At first glance they may seem a little pricey, yes. But I keep in mind that I have wanted to order about 10 different diaper bags, hoping to find a system that works. I figure this will save me quite a bit of money in the long run, since I’m not the best at fighting a “good deal” when I see one and make some spontaneous, spur of the moment purchases sometimes.

If the price seems too high for you, keep in mind that coupon codes do become available (I used one for mine; “like” the company page on facebook to keep updated on them). HOLIDAY20 is the current code and will score you 20% off (what a great Christmas gift this would make!).

Okay, so here’s the concept: it’s a pocketed pouch that holds your diaper bag essentials. You can take this pouch and put it in one bag, and then in another, and then another… so if you want to use a big bag one day and throw in a lot more than what you usually carry, you can. But you’ll still have what you need if you want to throw it in a tote bag and go to lunch. That’s right, no real diaper bag required. You can use your purse, a canvas tote bag, a backpack, whatever.

We use cloth diapers (bulkier than disposables), and I’m impressed that I can definitely use this and carry a few diapers without it overflowing. Last weekend I fit two pocket diapers and three prefolds in it! It won’t fit into a small purse by any means (at least mine won’t if it’s filled), but it conveniently goes in almost all of my bags. Check out the dimensions (about 10inW x 9inH x 5inD before stuffing) to make sure it will work for what you carry. It’s not very structured so it has some “give.” It has lots of pockets to keep you organized, but still has a nice bit of open space in the middle for bigger items (like cloth diapers).

(It was difficult to show the interior, and the pockets are hard to see, but they are wonderful!)

I love love love (LOVE) this thing. I keep mine filled with wipes, wipe solution, at least one diaper, some CJ’s BUTTer (another review for another day, love that stuff!), hand sanitizer, Kleenex, lip balm, a toy, burp cloth, small wet bag, and a couple other little things. I can add things to it if I need to (or toss some other things directly into the bag I’m carrying), but I always know I’m covered if I need to run out the door.

One thing about it that I really like… it’s nice to grab just the pouch if you’re somewhere and need to do a diaper change. For example, I was at my aunt and uncle’s house this past Sunday, and when I changed him I didn’t need to haul my whole bag with me. Just grabbed the carryall and had everything I needed.

I definitely recommend this product. Order it from Pishposh Mommy; retails for $44.99.

December 13, 2010

Happy Monday!

We use cloth diapers, and we love them. Even my husband prefers them and is glad we use them.

That love has followed me into my laundry room. Cloth diapers do require a bit more laundry (duh) but I really don’t mind. To us it is worth it, and I love seeing all of our clean diapers neatly organized in G’s room:

Yes, I could probably use a support group.

Anyhow, my detergent of choice is Rockin’ Green. This stuff is fantastic. I keep mine in a canister in our laundry room and measure it with one of their magnetic laundry scoops, which conveniently sticks to the side of our washing machine. Awesome!

Copyright belongs to Rockin’ Green Cloth Diaper Detergent

Why do I love this stuff? Let me count the ways.
1) It is free of phosphates and contains no dyes (or some of those other ickies found in many detergents), making it better for the environment AND your kiddo’s skin.
2) It is made for cloth diapers, so it is safe to use on them and rinses clean. And, while it was formulated for diaper duty, it can also be used on your other household laundry. I don’t like to use “regular” detergents on G’s clothes or bedding, so I often use this stuff.
3) It works for various water types – just choose your formula and amount based on whether you have hard, soft, or “normal” water.
4) It comes in yummy scents that are natural and don’t stick around. Yup, they rinse clean, too. So nothing is left behind to irritate skin or cause build up on diapers, but the scents make doing laundry a little more fun.
5) Their customer service is among the best I’ve ever encountered. No, seriously. The owner herself will help you if you have any problems, questions, or need to fine-tune your diaper washing routine. Plus, she is so darn nice! And so are the other staff members I’ve encountered.
6) They are FUN. From their rock ‘n roll themes, to their contests and giveaways on twitter and facebook… they keep things fresh, hip, and modern. This ain’t yo’ grandma’s detergent! (Though I must say that my mom, G’s Grandma, is actually quite fresh, hip, and modern.)

Rockin’ Green (often shortened to “RnG” by its fans) also just came out with an ammonia laundry booster called “Funk Rock.” You can also “rock a soak” with the regular detergent in order to help remove build-up and other gunk (you should see the water after soaking sometimes! this stuff gets out a ton of grossness, even from “clean” items like towels and bedding). I love RnG and you should really just try it out yourself. I guess you could say it has a cult following, and its fans get pretty excited about it sometimes.

Alright, this got wordy. But it’s Monday, so how about a giveaway to help you through it?

How to enter? There are several ways. You can get up to four entries total, but you have to comment separately for each one. I will use Random.org to pick the winner. Contest will run for one week, and ends on Monday, December 20th, at 11:59pm.

***Comments are moderated and will not post right away, so don’t panic if you don’t immediately see your comment… please do not post it again.***

Don’t forget to include your email address in your response so I can contact you if you win!

My apologies, but I’m opening this up to those with a U.S. address only at this time.

Entries:
1) Head on over to Rockin’ Green‘s website, spend a couple of minutes looking around, and comment which formula and scent you would most want to try or use. Choose carefully, if you win this is what you will get! (I use Classic Rock and love their new scent, “Mighty Mighty Marshmallow.”)

3) If you haven’t already, “like” Rockin’ Green on facebook. Comment here to tell me you are now, or already were, a fan of their page.

4) Follow my blog (using Google Reader or whatever else you prefer to use to keep track of the blogs you read). I’ll have to take your word for it, so after you add it come back here and let me know that I have a new follower. 🙂

That’s it! I will close comments next Monday and notify the winner as soon as I sort through the entries. Good luck!

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Rockin’ Green, nor was I compensated in any way for this review or giveaway. I am simply a fan of theirs. The review was 100% my own opinion of their product and company. They were kind enough to donate a bag of soap to the winner.